Rewilding, also known as ecological restoration, is a form of land management that encourages natural processes to shape and restore landscapes. It follows the principle that nature should be given the opportunity to express itself with minimal human intervention, reclaiming environments we have ecologically degraded through intensive management and industrialisation.
In an age of mass extinction and global climate change, rewilding is needed to complement more traditional conservation practices. Rewilding is a vital step towards reversing the damage our natural world has suffered. It encourages increased biodiversity, regrowth of essential habitats and a strengthened resilience to help fight climate change.
Managing the land in this way allows us to reprioritise and reconnect with the world around us by reinstating self-regulating landscapes and understanding nature’s needs.
Ambios is a not-for-profit nature conservation training organisation based in South Devon. Since 2012 we have been tenants of land on the Sharpham Estate, in the Dart Valley, South Devon AONB.
In April 2020 we took a big step in taking on an additional 50 acres of pasture on the Sharpham estate in South Devon with the vision of rewilding it.
The land is part of an 18th century parkland landscape and is a busy recreational venue with extensive public access and broad ranging stakeholder interest. This new venture provides a unique opportunity to share rewilding with a large and diverse audience; a core motivation of both Ambios and our landlords The Sharpham Trust. The commitment to rewilding is strengthened by a drive to demonstrate a working model based on social-enterprise approach and as a tenant farmer rather than a landowner.
We have two complementary strategies for restoring this part of the Estate. In 2020, the Sharpham Trust secured a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for developing rewilding education and outreach programmes over a period of 3 years – this project is known as ‘Sharpham Wild For People’. Then in 2021, we entered into a 5 year Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement which supports us in the recovery of the countryside for future generations.
Our project is well underway and the benefits of the rewilding process should continue for generations.
We have a long-term vision to rewild the land surrounding the River Dart estuary, in partnership with our local neighbours and landowners, to restore missing wildlife and connect valuable habitats. In the meantime, there’s so much more we plan to do, with the support of our trainees and volunteers, starting with:
Ambios Ltd is a UK registered not-for-profit company limited by guarantee – meaning it can only spend its income on helping people achieve their goals for nature/science/education and supporting organisations in achieving their objectives for wildlife/conservation/biodiversity.
Companies House Registration Number: 4185277
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